WASHINGTON, DC Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (D-MD) and the members of the Maryland Congressional delegation introduced a resolution congratulating the University of Maryland on the occasion of its 150th anniversary.

"I am proud to join my colleagues from Maryland to pay homage to my Alma matter," Hoyer said. "Since its inception in 1856, the University of Maryland has made significant strides toward becoming one of the premier institutions of higher education in the country."

The University of Maryland was established by the State legislature in 1856 as the Maryland Agricultural College. It became an early beneficiary of the Federal land grant program created by the Morrill Act in 1862, and subsequently became a leader among State universities receiving these grants. In 1988, the University of Maryland was designated the 'flagship' campus of the University System by an Act of the State legislature.

"The University of Maryland has made significant advances in becoming a nationally recognized major research institution, which has attracted an impressive faculty and graduate and undergraduate student body, making the University an innovative and resourceful leader among public universities," the resolution reads.

The resolution credits the University of Maryland for successfully entering into federal, state, and local partnerships to further its educational and research mission. These include the Food and Drug Administration's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Center for Weather and Climate Prediction, the Maryland Center for Advanced Study of Language, and several programs administered by the Department of Homeland Security.

The resolution also recognizes the unique and rich tradition of athletics at the University of Maryland. "Both men and women have brought great pride to the members of the campus community and to the citizens of Maryland, and garnered the University numerous conference and national championships," the resolution reads.

Whether in athletics or academics, the University of Maryland has been blessed with many great contributors. In October, Thomas Schelling, a professor and fifty year expert in the concept known as game theory, was awarded the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences. Additionally, the Department of Homeland Security selected the University of Maryland to lead the new Homeland Security Center of Excellence for Behavioral and Social Research on Terrorism and Counter-Terrorism in January of 2005.